Goths down to Release the Bats

Goths and most certainly ghouls will find a cozy place to gather Friday when Release the Bats, an alternative to the mundane Halloween bash, celebrates its 10th anniversary.

The monthly event is a Goth gala that celebrates its anniversary Halloween night at Long Beach's Que Sera where participants will witness “death-rock debauchery, lechery and blood with 200 plus screaming ghouls,” according to club promoter Dave Bats.

Que Sera sits on the corner of 7th Street and Cherry Avenue, a relatively gloomy part of town after nightfall, in Long Beach. It's the perfect location for the event, which is expected to generate a large crowd due to the monumental occasion.

Ten years in "club land" is a lifetime.

“I love to spin at Que Sera” said Stephanie Saharopulos, guest DJ at the Long Beach venue. “The people who dance are always energetic and just come to have a good time. Release the Bats this year, should be great.”

Most nights, at Release the Bats, include a live band performing for a crowd of boys in eyeliner and girls in platform shoes, or vice versa.

“It (Release the Bats) is basically just a big party” Louanne Smith, a Que Sera bartender, said. “People come from all over to attend the event. They come from L.A., the O.C. and one guy comes from Fresno every month,” she added.

For the 10-year anniversary, instead of providing live music, the club is opting to revert to the tunes of former DJs.

“Aside from the Halloween-party theme, we will be revisiting the past decade with special DJ sets, videos of the bands that have performed on the Bat Stage on all the monitors and goodie bags filled to the brim with tons of nefarious surprises,” Bats said.

The Goth lifestyle can easily frighten people unfamiliar with punk, glam, industrial and alternative music.
“Our club plays 'Siouxsie and the Banshees.' Where else can you hear music like that?” Smith said. “The night is very festive. These are people who live the Gothic lifestyle. They’re not just dressing up for the night.”

However, for those looking to listen and reminisce about icons such as The Damned, Bauhaus, Alien Sex Fiend, David Bowie and the Cocteau Twins, Release the Bats is the perfect environment.

“I’ve never been to Release the Bats,” Maribell Arce, a frequent club hopper, said. “I’m excited to see what the night will bring. I’ve been to Que Sera millions of times but this will be my first time to experience this event."

On the other hand, those who are simply worried about not fitting in (ironic since Goths are generally pegged as the outcasts) are assured by Bats that they need not worry.

“We have no fascist dress code like other places,” Bats said. “Costumes are encouraged of course since it’s Halloween but it’s your party, be a part of it.”

In addition to a cheap $10 cover (10 dollars all night) and what will probably prove to be an overabundance of glitter makeup, leather jackets, tattooed arms and pierced … everything, Que Sera also boasts “the best drinks on the planet for the least amount of cash.”

Just be sure to arrive by midnight where Bats promises, “a happy sing along and a special midnight scream toast dedicated to Release the Bats and its world wide success.”

“Everybody has a right to express themselves,” Smith said. “We give them an outlet to feel comfortable with a group of people who feel the same way.”